email this pageQ. People often say they taste all kinds of things in their wine—from black currants and cherries to green pepper and tobacco. I thought wine was made from grapes.
A. One of the most fascinating things about wine is the way it charms us with a seemingly endless variety of aromas and flavors. How did we get so lucky? As it turns out, wine contains chemical compounds similar to those found in all sorts of things, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and spices, to name just a few. In fact, some wine grape varieties are associated with specific things, such as Cabernet Sauvignon with black currants and Pinot Noir with cherries. These flavors come from the grape, the whole grape, and nothing but the grape. Vineyard factors such as soil and climate, and winery practices—including fermentation temperatures and the use of oak—can affect wine’s available repertoire of flavors and aromas. When wine tastes and smells like many different things, it’s said to be “complex,” an attribute that is prized by many aficionados.
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